The members, however, felt there was no need to reduce the employment visa fees paid by corporate clients.
The members made the recommendation when a proposal was put forward by its Finance Committee, which suggested modifications to existing employment visa and iqama fees for resident workers.
Abdullah Al-Qadir, the Council’s Finance Committee chairman, presented the amendments at the council’s meeting presided over by Shoura Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh.
Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, the council’s secretary-general, said the amendments only applied to new recruits.
At present, Saudi employers have to pay an employment visa fee of SR2,000 for each new recruit and, according to local labor regulations, are required to bear their employees’ iqama fees.
Al-Ghamdi said the council aims to provide relief to individual Saudi sponsors who hire domestic aides.
While discussing matters related to higher education, the council strongly recommended a 30 percent increase in allowances given to undergraduate students at Saudi universities.
At present, university students on courses relating to the arts and education receive monthly allowances of SR800, while those enrolled on science courses such as medicine, engineering and dentistry receive SR1,000 a month.
During discussions on the Ministry of Higher Education and Universities’ annual report, Shoura members suggested that the ministries of higher education and finance should consider establishing teaching hospitals in the Kingdom’s soon-to-be-built universities.
Shoura members also called for the establishing of an academic chair for science and technology.